Electric Le Mans concept car

A Swiss company has unveiled the electric Green GT racing car, which it hopes to race at Le Mans in 2011.

Designed by Frenchman Thomas Clavet, the Green GT design study is powered by two 100kW water-cooled electric motors. The company claims this equates to the around 350-400bhp and, more impressively, 1475lb ft of torque up to 100mph and then 590lb ft.

The car weighs 860kg, which the car's builders claim means the car will have a 0-62mph time of under four seconds and a top speed of 171mph.

Although the Green GT would run in its own category for electric cars, for comparison last year's winning Audi R10 has around 700bhp, weighs 925kg and takes about 3.5sec to go from 0-62mph. The Audi R10 hit a top speed of 204mph at last year's Le Mans.

Details of the battery pack are sketchy, but the car uses lithium ion batteries, while solar panels help power the ancillary electronic systems. How these would work during night racing conditions is unclear.

The car's builders say they plan to have two Green GTs at Le Mans in 2011, and will be building 22 road-going version over the next three years.